During my 25 years of practice as a family law attorney, I have represented several clients who are religious minorities. I recently represented a client who was a Jehovah's Witness which inspired this blog post.
Jehovah's Witnesses have a 130-year history, are in 230 lands and have seven million members. Jehovah's Witnesses adhere to the Bible’s view of marriage and divorce.
Monogamy between one man and one woman and sex only within marriage are requirements in the Witness religion. But Witnesses do permit divorce in certain cases, believing that the only valid ground for divorce and remarriage is adultery.
Divorce is not allowed except in extremely limited circ*mstances. This contrasts with civil laws of No Fault divorce in New York and most other states.
According to Christian scripture, God created marriage to be a permanent union between a man and a woman. The only Scriptural grounds for divorce is sexual immorality. -- Matthew 19:5, 6, 9.
Jehovah's Witnesses discuss practical advice for marriage at congregation meetings, assemblies, and conventions. This is similar to other religions and faiths that discourage divorce. Congregation elders provide personal help to married couples, directing their attention to scriptures. This is also similar to other religions and faiths.
A person who chooses to divorce without Scriptural grounds is not free to remarry.
According to the religion, the Bible encourages married couples to stay together even under less than ideal circ*mstances.Many problems can be resolved by praying earnestly, applying Bible principles, and showing love.
For Jehovah's Witnesses, the Christian Bible does permit separation (not divorce) in certain extreme situations:
- Willful nonsupport. —1Timothy 5:8.
- Extreme physical abuse. —Psalm 11:5.
- Absolute endangerment of spiritual life. For example, a spouse might try to force a Witness to break God’s commands in some way, and the threatened mate might decide that a separation is the only way to “obey God as ruler rather than men.” —Acts 5: 29.
For more information about Religious Divorce matters, please contact me at Jackie@lawjaw.com.
FAQs
A person who chooses to divorce without Scriptural grounds is not free to remarry. According to the religion, the Bible encourages married couples to stay together even under less than ideal circ*mstances. Many problems can be resolved by praying earnestly, applying Bible principles, and showing love.
Can a Jehovah witness remarry after divorce? ›
5:31, 32; 19:9; Heb. 13:4) For example, if an individual contemplating remarriage confesses that he has been guilty of sexual immorality after his former mate legally divorced him or if his former mate has admitted to committing sexual immorality since the legal divorce, both are Scripturally free to remarry.
What is the divorce rate for Jehovah's Witnesses? ›
Share this chart:
| Religious tradition | Married | Divorced/separated |
|---|
| Jehovah's Witness | 53% | 12% |
| Jewish | 56% | 9% |
| Mainline Protestant | 55% | 12% |
| Mormon | 66% | 7% |
8 more rowsWives should be submissive to their husbands and husbands are to have deep respect and love for their wives, and are instructed to listen to them on all matters. Husbands are instructed to treat their wives as Jesus treated his followers. He should not hurt or mistreat his family in any way.
What do you call an ex Jehovah Witness? ›
Those who leave the faith are called "apostates" and are "disfellowshipped", a term for formal expulsion and shunning, where members are "prohibited from talking, and even from saying 'hello' to them", according to Ohmyjw.
What happens to ex Jehovah Witnesses? ›
Feelings of loneliness, loss of control, and worthlessness are also common after leaving. The culture of informing on other members inside the Jehovah's Witnesses also leads to a continued sense of distrust and suspicion long after leaving.
What is the two person rule for Jehovah Witnesses? ›
'Two witness rule'
The organization considers this policy to be a protection against malicious accusations of sexual assault and states that this two-witness policy is applied solely to congregational discipline and has no bearing on whether a crime is reported to the authorities in countries where this is mandatory.
What happens if a Jehovah Witness breaks a rule? ›
Such situations usually involve a "judicial committee" of three or more elders. Counsel may escalate to excommunication, known as disfellowshipping, which includes shunning by the congregation. Individuals who are disfellowshipped may be reinstated after an extended period if they are deemed to demonstrate repentance.
Does the Bible say you can't remarry after divorce? ›
Jesus gives permission for someone to remarry when adultery has taken place. “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”9 Here, the phrase “and marries another” raises the issue of remarriage.
What religious group has the highest divorce rate? ›
Religious Demographics of Divorce in the United States
- Divorce rates in the United States have fluctuated over the years, but they remain relatively high compared to some other countries. ...
- Protestant Christians 51%
- Catholics 19%
- Jewish 9%
- Mormon 7%
- Muslims 8%
- Hindus 5%
- Buddhists 10%
Four Grounds for a Christian to Divorce
- Adultery. Adultery is one breakdown Jesus specifically mentions. ...
- Addiction. Without treatment, addiction will consume everything in its path. ...
- Abuse. Most often, we think of physical abuse. ...
- Abandonment. Finally, brokenness can be a result of abandonment.
Yes, Jehovah's Witnesses have some celebrations. For instance, they celebrate the Memorial of Christ's Death and wedding anniversaries. However, they are opposed to many celebrations celebrated by other denominations.
What do Jehovah Witnesses believe about adultery? ›
If adultery occurs there must be proof of fornication in the form of two witnesses unless the guilty party admits to it. Then the person must repent and undergo regular study to mend their ways and become spiritually free to remarry, or they risk disfellowship.
Can Jehovah Witness flirt? ›
Jehovah's Witnesses frown upon dating for fun or even flirting with someone you're not married to.
What can Jehovah Witnesses not eat? ›
Jehovah's Witnesses abstain from eating the meat of animals from which blood has not been properly drained. They also refrain from eating such things as blood sausage and blood soup. No special preparation is required. The patient can manage his or her own diet within the hospital dietary parameters.
What is the two-person rule for Jehovah's Witnesses? ›
'Two witness rule'
The organization considers this policy to be a protection against malicious accusations of sexual assault and states that this two-witness policy is applied solely to congregational discipline and has no bearing on whether a crime is reported to the authorities in countries where this is mandatory.
What happens if you break the rules of Jehovah Witness? ›
Counsel may escalate to excommunication, known as disfellowshipping, which includes shunning by the congregation. Individuals who are disfellowshipped may be reinstated after an extended period if they are deemed to demonstrate repentance.
What do Jehovah Witnesses do when a family member dies? ›
Jehovah's Witnesses may select to have either a burial or a cremation following the funeral services in the Kingdom Hall. At the graveside or crematorium chapel, the scriptures are referenced and a prayer is read.
What do Jehovah's Witnesses think happens after death? ›
Witnesses believe that the only hope for life after death is in the resurrection, which they say involves re-creation by God of the same individual with a new body.
